LAS VEGAS – Not much could really stop them. Evident in the 83-72 final score, Colorado State led wire-to-wire against Utah State and broke an eight-year drought. The last time CSU won the semifinal game of the Mountain West Championships was the 2017 season. And with the season the Rams have had, it’s just another record off […]
LAS VEGAS – Not much could really stop them.
Evident in the 83-72 final score, Colorado State led wire-to-wire against Utah State and broke an eight-year drought.
The last time CSU won the semifinal game of the Mountain West Championships was the 2017 season. And with the season the Rams have had, it’s just another record off the checklist.
“Can you ask for more?” Nique Clifford said. “We’re writing our names in history. That’s what you work for all you and that’s what you want to do as a collegiate athlete. It’s pretty special to be part of and see where we came from.
“At the beginning of the year, nobody thought we were going to be in this position, so it’s been cool to prove everyone wrong and do what we knew we were capable of.”
Clifford himself wrote his name in not just CSU history but Mountain West.
With his fourth point of the night, he became the second player in conference history to have a season with 600 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists – joining Fresno State’s Orlando Robinson from his 2021-22 season.
Despite their offensive prowess, coach Niko Medved knew that they would have to focus on defensive depth to get underneath USU’s skin.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who give minutes (in that way),” Medved said. “Nikola (Djapa), Kyle (Jorgenson), Rashaan (Mbemba) and (Jaylen) Crocker-Johnson will slide over there as well. And, we needed all of them tonight. There was a lot of fouls called and it was a really physical game. I knew we needed it and I thought those guys gave us a good spark.”
Fouls truly afflicted the night with 62 total called resulting in 37 free throws for CSU and 30 for USU.
Though the Rams started off play calmer than their start against Nevada – especially senior Jalen Lake.
“It was really nice to see some shots go in,” Lake said. “Here, my teammates were able to find me so I was able to get hot that first half. I had to flush yesterday but I came in with a new mindset and perspective.”
Lake had 14 points at a 62% clip and played the most minutes out of anyone on the roster at 36 – showing a fresh mindset can do wonders.
And from the opening tip, CSU’s offense was firing on all cylinders.
“I thought, right at the end of the first half, we stole a pass on the inbound and a guy dunked it in transition,” Medved said. “I thought our spirit was at an all-time high. It just showed where our mindset was and where it needed to be. These guys fought really hard to get here. They’ve put everything they have into this team and it’s really cool to watch.”
Despite the Rams’ first-half dominance, the Aggies would not go down quietly.
Opening up the last 10 minutes on a 11-0 run, while the Rams went scoreless for over three minutes.
“We knew they were going to make a run,” Clifford said. “We knew they were a great team, so they weren’t going to quit. I think we got stagnant offensively a little bit and we fed into their game. So, we just found a way to get stops at the end.”
But if the last few minutes of play displayed anything it’s the teams’ ability to adapt.
Closing out the game on the fast break relentlessly.
“Other than the fouls, I think we challenged the guys,” Medved said. “It’s hard when you’re in double bonus late like that because we probably couldn’t be as physical as we needed to. But I thought our zone defense late in the game was really good for us. Anything to just take time off the clock.”Now, the Rams are ready for one final test.With this win, CSU advances to face No. 5 Boise State after its nail-biting win against New Mexico in the championship game. The turnaround will be quick, and Medved knows his team has little to no time to dwell on this victory.No matter the outcome in the championship, CSU’s run has been a testament to their growth.”All the teams know each other so well in the league,” Medved said. “We play Boise in less than 24 (hours) so there’s not a lot of time to think about it too much. You know what they do well, they know what we do well. We just have to go and get as much rest as we can.”Nothing can really stop them with a conference title on the line. Not foul trouble or an Aggie comeback – not even the pressure of the moment.As Utah State inched closer, it was Ethan Morton who delivered a dagger – a dunk with 40 seconds left, ensuring CSU’s spot in the title game.”I feel like we’ve just grown so much,” Lake said. “Just from November and December to now, it’s awesome, and it’s just a testament to the work that we put in every single day.”
